VTC Students' Summer internship Experience in · PDF filereports from media affect ......

VTC Students ’ SummerInternship Experiencein China

Presenters

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Bobo CHANStudent Counselor

Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education

Raymond FUNGStudent Counselor

Hong Kong Design Institute

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Presentation Overview1. Introduction2. Summer Internship Programme (SIP)3. Programme Effectiveness4. Success Factors for SIP5. What’s NEXT

Vocational Training Council (VTC)• 30 years of history• Established in 1982. • VTC is the largest vocational education,

training and professional development group in Hong Kong.

• Trains 240 000 students each year • We provide a full range of pre-employment

and in-service programmes with internationally recognised qualifications.

1. Introduction

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VTC Member Institutions

Member Institution:

Service Brand

Higher Education

(Degree Programs)

Tertiary

Institution

College /

Training Centre

Main Brand

1. Introduction

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Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education (IVE)offers courses covering an array of disciplines and at levels to higher diploma, nurturing talents valued by industries.•9 Campuses in HK Island, Kowloon & New Territories•Equipped with full-range of professional facilities for different Disciplines•Target participants of SIP

1. Introduction

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Student Development Discipline-Student Development Office

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• Provide the Structured Whole Person Development (SWPD) Programme and 6 major Student Development Services through Student Development Offices in IVEs

Student Development Office (SDO)1. Introduction

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SDO is the coordinator of Summer Internship Programme (SIP)

• Involved in the design, planning, implementation and the evaluation since 2004

• Responsible for recruitment and selection, pre-trip trainings for SIP participants

• Most of the staff are in social work or counseling background.

• Staff will stay in destination throughout SIP to provide supports

1. Introduction

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2. Summer Internship Programme (SIP)What is SIP?

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2. Summer Internship Programme

I. Background• Rapid economic growth in China in past

decades• Increasing job opportunities since CEPA• Practical learning opportunities to work/

live in China• Exploration of career path

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II. Objectives1. To apply knowledge learned in an actual working

environment2. To acquire practical skills and/or general workplace

experience3. To appreciate for the right kind of work attitude and

professional ethics;4. To strengthen their generic skills such as problem solving

skills, co-operation, interpersonal and communication skills; and

5. To broaden their exposures and horizons to the Mainland and obtain a better understanding on the related career path and development in nowadays China 10


1. Stress on both work and life experience in Mainland China

2. On-site supervision and regular coaching are provided to participants

3. Comprehensive pre-trip training are delivered to participants for preparation

4. SDOs from IVEs formedworking group to work for the SIP

III. Characteristics of SIP

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3. Programme Effectiveness

Evaluation method• Evaluation questionnaires are issued to

participants to fill in before and after the programme (pre-post evaluation)

• 10-point scale, self-assessment questionnaire, participants rated their expectation (pre) and actual learning (post) on 12 items of work/ social developmental qualities

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5.39

6.28 6.63

6.23 6.56 6.73

5.76 5.98

6.31 6.22 6.30 6.69

7.167.59 7.53 7.53

7.77

8.8

7.64

7.09

7.62 7.6 7.557.91

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Comparison of Developmental Skills Level Master by Participants Pre/ Post SIP 2012

Level of Skills (Before) Level of Skills (After)Master very well

Unable to master

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3. Programme Effectiveness:Participant Satisfaction

1%

94%

5%

Satisfaction towards SIP (Beijing)

Highly satisfied

Satisfied

Fair

12%

82%

6%

Satisfaction towards SIP (Guangzhou)

Highly satisfied

Satisfied

Fair

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3. Programme Effectiveness

Highlights of findings• Student found SIP most benefit in increasing

their adaptability at work (�2.07)• The attachment opportunity in Mainland

China enriched student’s understanding of China’s local economic culture and industry knowledge

• Student found themselves have more improvement in work skills, rather than other developmental skills (such as communication, team work etc)

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Level of Learning (Before)

Level of Learning (After)

Difference

1. Economic culture 5.39 7.16 1.77

2. Communcication 6.28 7.59 1.31

3. Team-work 6.63 7.53 0.90

4. Organization 6.23 7.53 1.30

5. Problem solving 6.56 7.77 1.21

6. Adjustment to work 6.73 8.80 2.07

7. Industry knowledge 5.76 7.64 1.88

8. Leadership 5.98 7.09 1.11

9. Expression 6.31 7.62 1.31

10. Negotiation 6.22 7.60 1.38

11. Future career path 6.30 7.55 1.25

12. Mandarin 6.69 7.91 1.22 16

3. Programme Effectiveness:Successful Story

• David and Connie, Higher Diploma in Fashion Design and Product Development in VTC

• Participants in SIP Beijing • Arranged to work for Ma Defan, a famous

director and film costume designer, assisting in costume design, advertising, films and TV production.

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• Both of them learned to be conscientious with details of design profession in Mainland China

• Get to know Chinese culture better in person• “Learnt different embroidery patterns and

fabric colors represent different status and eras of wearers”- industry knowledge

• More confident in meeting future challenges• Being invited to join the company after

graduation

3. Programme Effectiveness:Successful Story

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4. Success Factors for SIP

I. Adjustment of Cultural Differences

II. NetworkingIII. Student Management

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I. Adjustment of Cultural Difference

Work culture and daily life Work culture and daily life adjustmentadjustment

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Adjustment of Cultural Difference

�Differences identifies in work culture:1.Pace and style of work- more freehand

and slower pace

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2. Awareness in copy right/ intellectual property- uncommon to be aware of using licensed software

3. Closer relationship between employers and employees relationship because of living in dormitory and sharing similar habits in province

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�Differences in daily life1. Dinning habits- sometimes greasy and

less attention to hygiene2. Local transportation pattern- more

complicated than Hong Kong, highly crowded and long travelling time; traffic jam is common phenomenon

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3. Use of languageNormally speak in Putonghua, use simplified Chinese characters, as well as particular Chinese input method

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Different medical consultation process, negative news reports from media affect student’s intention to seek medical advice from doctors in Mainland China

4. Medical system/ treatment


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Strategy: Adequate training and briefing for SIP participants

• To adjust participants’ expectation• Comprehensive briefing on the cultural

difference between Hong Kong and Mainland• Invite past SIP participants to share their

experience


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Strategy: Company visits before SIP and job matching

• Develop mutual understanding about the requirement of SIP participants and their capacity to work on different tasks

• Clarify expectations, screen the most suitable companies to co-operate

• Revisit the companies after SIP launched, to review companies’ arrangement, and follow up if needed.


Strategy: Arrange Hong Kong staff and domestic student helper to stay with participants

• The domestic student helper is familiar with Beijing/Guangzhou, which help to handle some minor daily living issues

• Regular meetings were held with SIPparticipants to explore and support their needs

• Grouping arrangement: ‘Buddy System’ are built and they will group in pairs to work

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II. Networkinga.a. CriteriaCriteriab.b. PartnershipPartnershipc.c. Company visitCompany visitd.d. Sustainable supportSustainable support

Networking —Criteria

�In SIP, VTC invite service provider to assist on networking with mainland parties

�Criteria/ for selecting suitable service provider:

1.Past experiences in providing mainland attachment programmes for tertiary institutions

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2. Arrangement of transportation and lodgings– Quality of the accommodation

3. Arrangement of attachment positions– Diversity– Coordinators in Beijing and Guangzhou– Sustainable Support

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4. Arrangement of learning tours in SIP– Representative– Eye-opening and enhancing students’ skills– Closely related to the livelihoods and heritage

5. Overall coordination before and during the SIP

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Networking — Partnership

� VTC and service provider work in “partnership” rather than “contractor”

1.Regular meetings with SIP working group2.Liaise with potential company, attend the

company visits with SDOs3.Discussion on transportation, lodgings,

learning tours, domestic student helper recruitment and selection

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Networking — Partnership

4. Attend the central training and kick Off ceremony to catch up details of SIP

5. Gain understanding about student background/ major subjects before matching attachments

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Networking — Company Visit

� To visit companies which are offering attachment positions before the job matching

1. SDOs joined company visits (arranged by service provider) before the program

2. Channel the expectations about the internship, provide SIP background information to the company

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Networking — Company Visit

3. Better understand the job nature, working environment of the company

4. Share the academic standard and talents of SIP participants

5. Make an initial job matching list after the company visit

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Networking — Sustainable Support

�Provide prompt , sustainable, appropriate support to participants during SIP

1.Domestic coordinator will match up the student with internship and make adjustment if necessary

2.Regular meeting between service provider/ domestic coordinator/ SDO to monitor the student progress

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Networking — Sustainable Support

3. To keep track of progress/condition of student in attachment units

4. To manage the unexpected or unanticipated issue during SIP

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1.1. Managing student expectationsManaging student expectations2.2. Discipline issue at out portDiscipline issue at out port3.3. Handling of emotion and incident Handling of emotion and incident

issueissue4.4. Managing learning experienceManaging learning experience

III. Student management

Student Management- Managing Student Expectations

� Most participants have misunderstanding on SIP, as well as their learning/ experience in internship in China

� Manage student expectation at the recruitment stage, also throughout the programme

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� Strategy: Selection of participants– Participants are required to fill in an application

form, contains • 1) Personal information• 2) Guardian contacts• 3) Health declaration• 4) Short essay (100Short essay (100-- 200 words) topic on view of 200 words) topic on view of

future careerfuture career• 5) Choices of workplace/ industriesChoices of workplace/ industries• Enclose: 2 recommendation letter from academic 2 recommendation letter from academic

tutorstutors, latest academic transcripts, updates CV in simplified Chinese

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- Student normally required to attend an interview conducted in campus:

�Group interview– Topics: Working life in Mainland China,

Expectation of SIP, Possible difficulties that would encounter if they joined SIP

– Test language proficiency in communicating in Putonghua

�May follow up with Individual interview to further clarify on individual students’ industry choices, misunderstanding about the trip/ internship

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- Student are briefed with SIP details, selection process, job matching arrangement during the interview- Participants are selected based on:

• Interview performance 40%• Recommendation letters 20%• Application form 20%• Academic performance 20%

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Student Management- Managing Student Expectations- Pre-trip trainings/ briefings are most important in managing student expectation to SIP, and participants are required to attend all sessions.�Campus Training Workshop (2 sessions)

• Focus on team building with participants in same campus, experience sharing from past participants

�Central Training (2 Full-day training)• Participants from 9 IVE campuses join together, with

information seminars, stimulatory track point challenges, logistic and attachment arrangements.

�Kick off Ceremony43

Student Management- Discipline Issue during SIP

� Strategy: Rules are set up, recorded in student handbook for SIP, also explained in the pre-trip trainings/briefings.

• Example of rules:– In case of sick leave, student should notify the

company and SDO on-site staff; he/she should hand in medical certificate as evidence

– Student should go back to hostel before 11pm (Sun-Thu), or 12am (Fri and Sat), he/she is not allowed to stay overnight out of hostel (unless special permission)

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• On-site SDO is responsible to handle discipline issue, SDO may issue “Warning Letter” if participants violate the rules after warnings

• Serious violation of rules can lead to immediate termination of SIP

• Weekly meetings are conducted with group leaders, domestic student helper to remind participants on discipline issue; group leaders were also responsible to report to SDO if they found any misbehavior

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Outstanding Student AwardOutstanding Student AwardSIP participants with good performance

in SIP including internship, conduct, interpersonal communication, assignments, and with no warning record can be nominated

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Student Management- Handling Emotions and Ad hoc Issue

Strategy: Arrangement of stationing staff • SIP stationing staff are trained professionals

in SDO, they are experienced in handling student emotion/ ad hoc issue

• Use of email/skype/mobile to keep update with HK SDOs, HK SDOs may help to notify student’s guardian in case any emergency issues

• Domestic helper would help to provide local information/ guidelines to handle any incident, e.g. seeing doctor, reporting to police

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Student Management- Handling Emotions and Ad hoc issue

• Use of daily log for stationing staff to record any student incident (including sick leave) and update campus staff in Hong Kong

• Campus staff in Hong Kong may also provide feedback on handling the incident

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Student Management- Managing Learning Experience

Strategy: Learning activities/ reflection exercise• Comprehensive activities arranged for

participants:– Welcome Dinner (1st day)– Debriefing meeting after work (at 1st or 2nd

week)– 2 sightseeing tours (1st and 3rd weekend)– Closing Dinner (before end of SIP)– Closing and Sharing Ceremony (After SIP

completed and arranged in Hong Kong)49

Student Management- Managing Learning Experience

• Assignments and reports are designed to stimulate student to reflect their learning experience systemically:1) Learning contract and Goal setting (Before

departure)2) Company report (After 1st week of SIP)3) Reflection exercise (Mid term of SIP)4) Weekly Working Hours Record5) Placement Review report (not less than

1500 words) (Last day of SIP)52

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5. What ’s NEXT

• Build up our own company network in China

• Expend SIP destination to other major cities in China, e.g. Shanghai, Tsingtao

• Explore more financial resources to subsidize students to join SIP (since the price of RMB currency is raising, the SIP cost also raising)

Thank YouE-mail:

[email protected]@ vtc.edu.hk

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VTC Students' Summer internship Experience in · PDF filereports from media affect ......

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